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Buildex focuses on construction industry challenges

Buildex Vancouver is celebrating it's 25th anniversary by addressing many of the challenges facing the B.C. construction industry.

More than 13,000 visitors are expected to attend Buildex Vancouver 2014, which is running Feb. 19-20 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. This year’s show marks the 25th anniversary of Buildex. -
Photo:Bradley Fehr

“For example, the construction keynote addresses the changing labour force and the ways in which the industry will have to adapt,” said Paul Maryschak, show director.

He explained that Buildex Vancouver 2014 is the 25th anniversary of Buildex and the 20th anniversary of the Vancouver Real Estate Forum, which is co-located with Buildex.

“The Buildex 25th anniversary will be marked by a ‘city shapers’ feature, a celebration in social media and in the show guide of Vancouver’s construction-related milestones as the city has grown over the last 25 years,” he said.

About 425 organizations and at least 13,500 industry professional visitors are expected to attend.

The construction keynote, The Young Guns: Gen Y and Their Role In The Future Of Construction, will address a challenge facing the industry as these workers take more prominent roles on the jobsite.

However some Gen Y employees, who were born between 1982 and 1993, get a bad rap for being spoiled, but are in fact hard-working and eager to succeed.

“Gen Y is educated, creative and has lots to offer,” said Fiona Famulak, panel moderator and president of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association.

“But, there’s a perception that Gen Y feels over-entitled and that can lead to tension on the jobsite,” she said.

“Age and youth need to find a middle ground. Gen Y needs to understand it’s working with employees of different generations with different expectations. And employers should realize that Gen Y is helping them make the best use of the latest technology, which will enable them to be more productive.”

In addition to the construction keynote, three seminars will deal with the new 2012 B.C. Building Code and its impact on builders and architects.

“Many people have already signed up to attend the sessions,” said Maryschak.

Transitioning to the New B.C. Building Code will explore the impact of the North American Fenestration Standard/Specification (NAFS) for windows, doors and skylights and the new requirements for spatial separation.

What Builders and Architects Need to Know about New Code Requirements for B.C. Windows and Doors looks at the mandatory code requirements in Vancouver and B.C. for the energy performance of doors and windows.

Air Tightness Made Easy will introduce the role of air tightness in small buildings, survey the current range of air tightness standards and review construction details and air-sealing practices.

Other educational sessions include Maximizing Recoveries from Troubled Construction Projects; There’s An App For That (how to use off the shelf application software to automate information gathering and processing); and Managing Multiple Priorities, Projects and Deadlines Effectively.

One of the new exhibits is the Passive House Pavilion and seminar program, which is presented by the Canadian Passive House Institute (CanPHI).

According to the institute, heating and cooling energy represents 75 to 85 per cent of the total environmental impact of a building in Canada over its lifetime.

The organization’s goal is a dramatic reduction in buildings’ energy use.

“Passive House principles apply to any type of building,” said CanPHI board member Rob Bernhardt.

“They are well-established building standards in Europe, where they were developed.”

For engineers, building operators and other mechanically-inclined visitors, Buildex has partnered with the Vancouver Convention Centre for four one-hour behind-the-scenes walking tours that will show what makes big buildings work.

The tour visits the central plant, waste water treatment plant, mechanical room and sea water island.

The Architecture Foundation of B.C. (AFBC) is launching its Best Buildings contest on the first day of Buildex.

Industry and the general public will be asked to submit a photo of their favorite building in B.C.

Winners will be determined by on-line voting and will receive a plaque which can be mounted on the side of the building.

“So many much-loved buildings are being torn down so quickly that it makes sense to commemorate them before they are gone,” said AFBC executive director Dorothy Barkley.

More than 100 speakers are lined up for more than 60 seminars and education sessions.

The annual Construction CEO breakfast, hosted by the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, is back again this year.

Rich Coleman, B.C.’s deputy premier, Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing, will outline the prospects for Liquefied Natural Gas and what it means for the B.C. construction industry and the province.

Also, economist Jock Finlayson, executive vice president of the B.C. Business Council, will highlight the provincial, national and international risks and opportunities that can impact the economic development prospects for B.C.

Buildex was formerly known by its three different components: The B.C. Construction Show; Design Northwest for architects and the interior design industry; and the Homebuilder and Renovator Expo.

Buildex Vancouver 2014 is taking place Feb. 19-20 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.